Female
by saichanlovestoad
Summary: UPDATED AGAIN! When Lance skips school, he comes home to find out something rather unique about the mutation of a certain toad. Mature for later content. Read author's note.
1. Chapter 1

A/N- I don't own any of these characters.

This story takes place after the episode Hex Factor (when Wanda comes) but before mutants are revealed to the world.

Parts of this story were inspired by my friend GoldFox and her series Changes and More Changes.

And I suppose this would be considered a Yaoi, but not really. You make the call but don't flame me because I warned you.

* * *

Lance drove up to the Boarding House, grinning wickedly to himself. He'd successfully ditched the Brotherhood at school and they were none the wiser. He'd finally have the place to himself. He'd finally be able to get the rest he so rightly deserved, the rest he was deprived of every night do to Pietro late night wandering, Fred pulsation causing movement, and Todd's night long cooing to Wanda's forever locked door. Now they were trapped in some assembly under the stern eyes of Principal Kelly. They'd be there for hours, he knew.

" Idiots," he muttered under his breath as he parked and climbed out, twirling his keys, " Hope none of them snuck out... dammit, I'll fuckin' scream if Quicksilver got out,"

Moaning, he walked up the front steps and checked to see if there were any signs that the others were home. Nothing. Not even the pulsing of Wanda's power, which meant she'd lived up to her word and left, searching for her father yet again. Chuckling to himself, he stepped inside and locked the door, for no real reason other then a quick thought of paranoia. All the lights were off and no noise could be heard from the lower or upper floors. Still not sure, he poked his head into the downstairs rooms. The coast was clear.

" Bitchin'. I really am alone," he said, tossing his bag in the middle of the hall in hopes of tripping a certain speedy blond. Lance stretched as he grabbed a bottle of icy water and sipped it in the strange stillness of the house.

A faint, almost nonexistent pulse went through the woodwork of the Boarding House, coming from upstairs. He froze, feeling anger and frustration building in his chest. Someone had managed to get out of school before him. Someone was invading his free time with their antics. Just as he was leaving the kitchen, however, he stopped in mid motion.

A scream tore out from upstairs. The scream of someone in agony. The scream of someone in pain.

" Holy fuck, that sounds like Toad," he bolted from the entrance hall, taking the steps two at a time, " HEY, TOAD!! YOU HERE? WHAT'S GOIN' ON!!!" he banged open the doors, searching for his teammate, growing afraid of why the scream sounded like a dying animal. As he broke down the door to the bathroom, the scream dropped into a pained groan, almost one of defeat, " What the- Toad, what the hell happ- oh my Gawd!"

Laying in a pool of sticky, cherry red blood was a slender female, who stared up at him with wide, frightened gold eyes. The body was covered in blood, sprawled along the ground as though she'd been laying on her back and had tried to get up in a hurry but slipped back down, thus ending with her chest twisted around towards Lance, but her lower half turned away. The chest that he could see was small but beautiful, though slick with red liquid. From her tiny waist was her ass, which was round and perfect, and long legs that went on forever.

Lance found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the naked girl quivering in front of him. Not only was she the first naked female he'd ever laid eyes on, but she just looked so helpless. Her eyes were so scared, so innocent, her face childlike. With her messy tan hair falling into her curved cheeks, which were starting to blush, she looked absolutely harmless, the picture of feminism. He was just so taken by that look on a girl. That was, after all the reason he liked Kitty so much. However, Kitty never crossed his mind as he stepped forward uncontrollably, eyes running over this girl. As wrong as it seemed, he wanted to be closer to this shaking, helpless, scared female in her puddle of blood.

" A-are you okay?" he barely whispered, reaching out to her.

" GET YER HAND AWAY FROM ME!!!" a very familiar slang voice rang out, those eyes changing to red, a webbed hand grabbing his wrist. Lance stood in shock, finding himself stupidly confused.

" Huh?"

" GET OUT!!!" she roared, kicking him hard in the stomach and knocking him back into the sink. He gasped out, stumbling to his feet as she suddenly hid her naked form from his view, " Didn't chu hear me, Lance!! Get out, man!" she pointed to the door, her face bright red and adding to her cuteness.

For a moment, Lance just stood there, not sure he understood what was being said. This girl knew his name? Wait, he thought, narrowing his eyes. He stared, something close to fear washing over his body. The girl was crouched down like a frog, though her legs were closed and her chest was pushed against her thighs. A frog. A toad. Toad.

" T-TOAD!!! OH MY GAWD!!! I CAN'T BE- WHAT THE HELL!! YOU'RE A GUY!! BUT YOU'RE A GIRL!!! HOW IN THE HELL!!" he shouted, dropping down onto the floor as Todd watched with stunned eyes. Neither said another word, because Lance ripped himself off the ground, did a double take, then rushed out of the bathroom, mumbling something idiotic about giving her some time to get dressed and what naught.

In a few minutes, Lance heard footsteps coming down the stairs from where he was sitting like a stone on the couch. He considered bolting, but thought better of it, not sure how Todd would take that. Instead, he continued to sit there. Todd walked into the living room, dressed in loose pajama pants and a mismatching T-Shirt with the word 'Yo' written on it. Her chest was slightly visible under the fabric, though her hips and butt were completely hidden by the baggy pants. Lance swallowed hard, shifting his feet as she shyly stepped over to him and stood there, nervous, in front of him, playing with the cuffs on her wrists. His eyes darted around, before actually looking at her face. She was staring down at him like a deer caught in headlights, clearly not knowing what to say.

" Um..." Lance broke the silence, moving on the couch and patting the seat. She gratefully dropped down next to him. Unfortunately, that action caused her breasts to bounce and Lance regrettably couldn't help but notice, " Uh... um... I... um... hmm... W-well... oh fuck..."

" I'm sorry, yo. I shoulda told ya," Todd spat out, hanging her head suddenly. Lance froze, " I... I change into a girl twice a year sos I can mate 'cause I can't get a girl as a guy,"

" What?"

" Um..." Todd glanced around, before sighing and finally looking at her teammate, " Iz parta my mutation, okay? I'm an animal. I'm supposed ta mate an' I wuzz supposed ta first mate when I first hit puberty a couple years ago. But... well... I'm still a virgin... an' my body decided... that if I couldn't mate as a guy... it'd try female instead..."

" What?"

" Have ya ever seen Jurassic Park?"

" Yeah,"

" 'Member how the dinosaurs changed sex sos they could have babies 'cause of the _frog_ DNA in 'em dat allowed 'em to adapt ta their surroundin's?" Todd said, sounding almost annoyed. Lance nodded dumbly, " Well... turns out... I gots a lil frog in me. Sos..."

" You.. Changed to adapt to your surroundings?" Lance repeated, his numb brain finally understanding what was going on. Todd responded with a yes, " How'd you keep that a secret?"

" Well... da first time it happened... my momma did research ta find out what wuzz goin' on... after dat... it wuzz real easy ta keep it a secret..." she explained, fiddling with her shirt a little bit, " When I joined da Brotherhood... I wuzz alone da first time it happened sos I wuzz okay. I... thought if no one saw me change, you guys wouldn't even notice da change. That or disappear fer a few days. I've been known ta do that... sos I skipped school taday. Didn't know you'd be comin' home so soon..."

" Yeah... we probably wouldn't of noticed..." Lance looked at her, not knowing what else to say. A flash of all the blood he'd seen shot through his mind, " You were bleeding. Are you okay?"

" It comes wit the change. Don't worry 'bout it,"

" Sounded like it hurt. You sure?"

" Why do ya care? Ya saw me naked. That doesn't change anythin', Lance," Todd snapped, her eyes tinting with red a bit. Lance blushed feverishly. She watched as he fidgeted, then cleared her throat, " Sos just don't tell no one. It ain't none of their business,"

" Our little secret then?"

" 'Our' nothin', yo. Yous gonna keep it a secret or I'll tell Miss Kitty how long ya stared at me," Lance's face burned so bad his ears pounded with blood at that statement, " See, we can blackmail each other,"

" Y-you... have... a nice... figure... T-Toad,"

" Thanks, man. I work out," Todd brightly smiled, her face lighting up like Kitty's never did. Lance coughed, hitting himself in the chest, at the sight of such a friendly face, " Yo, you okay?"

Lance didn't answer. He just stared into those gold eyes and felt the world vanish from around him. Kitty didn't have such captivating eyes or such a kind smile. She didn't have the body this Todd did. And she definitely didn't have her personality. Kitty persecuted him because of his power and his choice in teams. Todd had been the first member of the Brotherhood and accepted everyone's mutant ability because his/her's was so undesirable. The differences actually went on forever but his mind never got there. It was caught up in the closeness of those eyes as Todd leaned over him to see if he was okay or something similar to that.

Human urges overtook better judgement. Call it lust, call it deprivation from his true lover, call it desperation, call it love, call it whatever, but he couldn't stop himself. One moment, he was stone still. The next, he'd grabbed Todd and locked her in a deep kiss, holding her face in place with both hands. She squirmed, her back bending in ways only her's could. He followed that bend and pushed her onto the couch. She fought for a moment, then her eyes rolled back.

Lance's tongue caressed her's. She laid there beneath him, dead like, before her hands snaked up his sides, physically seeing him. He moved one hand down to the curve of her lower back and pushed her chest against his. Breasts squished and he felt heat wash over his body. Two legs wrapped around his waist and their lower halves her shoved together in a instant. Todd let out a gasp when she felt how hard and ready he was. Lance silenced her with another more forceful kiss, still using his other hand to keep her head from moving. She began to lick his tongue as they kissed and he bit down gently on her lower lip.

" A-are we moving too fast?" he breathed out as her hands undid his belt. She choked out a laugh.

" Man, I've waited years ta mate. Iz gonna happen now," she answered in a primal voice, pulling his belt off. He muttered something about protection, wanting it to be special, " Yo, shut up... if it m-matter ta ya, ya wouldn't be kissin' me,"

He agreed and engaged her in another kiss as she fought to free him of his tight jeans. He used one hand to help her. They breathed into each other, struggling not to break their kiss or lose their position as they removed his pants so he could penetrate his newfound lover.

The front door was blasted open. They both froze where they were on the couch as Wanda stormed inside, shouted something about why the door was locked, and then marched up the stairs, screaming that she wanted to be left alone. They continued to lay there, then her door slammed. For a second, they looked at the other, then Lance got off Todd and they fixed their clothes and hair. All was quiet.

" Um... look... Toad... I'm not gay," Lance informed him, glancing over at the girl next to him. Todd said the same thing, not looking at him, " I... I might not be interested when you change back,"

" S'Okay. I ain't gay, Lance. I ain't gonna be interested either," she assured him, swallowing and nodding, " My male side's in love wit Wanda. I guess my female side likes chu,"

" So... what does that mean?"

" We can fuck twice a year?"

" Sounds good," he said, nodding his head, looking away, " You gonna be okay with that? That I only like you... that way twice a year?"

" Man, I'm only gonna like chu that way twice a year anyways," Todd answered, turning her eyes on him. Lance bobbed his head up and down, " We just gotta keep dis under wraps. It ain't gonna mean anythin' when I change back, sos it don't matter then. But now... yeah, we gotta work out a plan, don't cha think?"

" We could go out or something... you know... to a hotel,"

" Yeah, that'd work,"

" So..." Lance's voice trailed off as he inched closer, " How long are you a girl, Toad?"

" Iz around a week or sos. But I'm gonna be on my period startin' tomorrow. That lasts like four days an' then I ovulate fer the next week. That's about it," she said, gently touching her lower stomach, " Sos... we can't have sex,"

" What?"

" We can't have sex. I could get pregnant. Dat ain't gonna happen," Todd narrowed her eyes at him as she said it, " I ain't havin' yer baby, got it? Iz taday or not at all. But we ain't havin' sex if anyone's home. Those the rules. Sorry, man, but I ain't havin' my secret found out again,"

" Can't we go out somewhere then?" he pleaded, rubbing her should. She shook her head, " Wait, why not?"

" I... I'm not primal right now... an' this side a me says... wait," she got to her feet, casting a forlorn gaze back at him, " I just... don't... wanna... ruin what might be... sos... see ya, Lance. I'm gonna go lay down. I'm tired," with that, Todd left the room and hurried up the stairs.

For a long while, Lance just sat there, staring at where she'd been. Then he moaned and flopped down on the bed, cursing his bad luck and wondering if she'd let him climb into bed with her at the same time. Figuring that a bad idea, he just laid there, listening to the quiet of the house and praying that they'd be able to keep all this a secret. Then his prays became slumber, his dreams full to the brim of a naked Todd sprawled on the floor, smiling that coy smile as she waved at him and beckoned him over to her luscious curves.


	2. Chapter 2

Lance stared at the whiteboard as the teacher babbled on about healthy eating patterns and stuff of that nature. Next to him, Pietro mindlessly flipped through the nutrition book that he wasn't reading and Fred drew on the desk. On his other side, Todd sat with her face plastered to the desk, her body basically curled up in the seat. This class, Nutrition and Wellness, was the only class the four had together, as it was an elective. However, none of them had signed up for the course. They'd been given it because the computer class was filled up. And with good reason. Few students wanted to get stuck in a health class about food with an old lady teacher the size of their pencils.

The teacher turned in their direction. Her beady eyes zeroed in on Todd and Lance felt himself stiffened as she dragged her boney body over to their row. She smacked the desk with a ruler and two annoyed gold eyes looked at her through a mess of tan hair.

" Mr. Tolansky, is my lecture boring you?"

" Yes, it is,"

" W-well, I never!" she dramatically exclaimed, a hand clutching her heart. Todd rolled her eyes, pulling her face off the desk, " How dare you disrespect me! Apologize,"

" No,"

" Then... then... go to the principal's office right this second! Now, Mr. Tolanksy!" she barked, pointing off at the door. Her shrill voice caught the attention of the rest of the Brotherhood and they watched as Todd heaved herself up and stuck her green tongue out, " Right now, young man!"

" Yeah whatever, yo," she muttered, shoving her hands into her pockets and shuffling out the door. The teacher gawked after her, then promptly went to her desk to write the referral.

The class was left of their own as she did so. Lance shook his head, knowing why Todd was acting so defiant. Hormones. It was the last day of her period and she'd been absolutely unmanageable for the past three days. Although she'd kept her temper under control while at school, she threw fits all the time at the Boarding House. Yet, the others wrote it off as simply Todd finally going crazy or something like that. Of that, Lance was glad. The last thing he needed was for the boys to figure out something was up due to her attitude when they'd worked so hard to hide her period and figure. They'd taped her chest down Japanese style and snuck around and hid the fact that she had to use tampons and such, which was a lot easier said then done when living in a house full of boys. However, all was going well, even if she was getting kicked out of class.

He let out a sigh at the thought and raised his hand, asking if he could be excused to the bathroom. The teacher absentmindedly reminded him to use the pass and then he was gone. Lance hurried down the hall, but didn't have to go far. Todd was leaning against the lockers, fanning herself and rubbing her lower back. He walked over to her, gave her a gentle kiss on the lips, before being pushed back under the reminder that they were technically in public.

" Yeah, yeah, I know," he mumbled, leaning up against the wall next to her, " You feelin' okay today, Toad?"

" Not really. But today's the last, I can tell," she said, glancing in his direction and blushing deeply, " Do ya have ta stand sos damn close? Ya only a couple inches away,"

" Sorry," he didn't move and she didn't say anything more about it. Instead, she started to talk about how she hated their health class and ramble on and on, her thoughts getting a little disconnected before she just started laughing. He smiled upon hearing that happy laugh, looking over at her as she shook her head and waved him off, " You're really pretty, you know that?"

" Naw I ain't. I'm fat," Lance made a face as she uttered those words.

" For cryin' out loud, do all girl's think that?"

" Yo, man, I wuzz jus' kiddin'," Todd teased, pinching his cheek playfully and smiling, " I don't think too much like a girl when I am one, ya know?"

" So you think a little like a girl then? What girly thoughts do you think, eh, Toad?" Lance demanded in a childlike voice, pulling them together in a sexual way. Her front pushed against his and heat rushed down their veins like liquid fire. He licked his lips, gripping the curved hips that were underneath her jeans. She looked at him with suddenly seductive eyes that dripped with every emotion they both wished to be expressing physically at that moment. Her words came out in breaths.

" Having you inside me,"

Lance remained quiet for a moment longer, then he kissed her as passionately as he could without using tongue. She opened her mouth first and their tongues started to explore the inner regions of the other's mouth, their hands mimicking those actions on the surface. His hands traced along her smooth, pale skin, resting over her ass and squeezing. Her hands found their way up his back, where they held fast, jerking their bodies even closer to one another. Heat began to build in Lance's jeans and he felt Todd pulling away. He tried to grab her back, but she slipped out of his grip, shaking her head and wiping her mouth.

" Na uh. No. Stop. We can't. I'm on my period," she gasped out, stepping away. Lance groaned, slumping against the lockers, " 'Sides, I could get pregnant over the next few days. I'm sorry, Lance, but we can't do dis now,"

" You said it, not me. Don't throw this back in my face later," he joked, reaching over and pushing her hair out of her eyes.

" Actually... ya can't be around me when I'm ovulatin',"

" What!" Lance pushed himself off the lockers and grabbed her shoulders. She swallowed and gave a weak laugh, as though it'd just slipped her mind that he wasn't going to be allowed near her for the next week or so, " What'd you mean, I can't? Why the hell not?"

" W-well... I do change into a girl ta mate... which means... reproduction..." she stuttered out, not looking him in the eye, " Basically... I'd wanna have sex wit chu ta have a baby... an'... I don't wanna do dat right now-"

" Right now?"

" W-well... m-maybe one day-y or somethin'... or... I don't know! Ya can't talk ta me 'bout this stuff right now!" she whined, pulling out of his grip. She walked a little ways away and he stared at her, once again not understanding. When he asked, she blushed and turned her back to him, " Come on, Lance... I'm... I'm interested in kids right now... dats the point behind me changin'... but I ain't ready... but yer... yer... my type... an' I wanna have ya kids... but it ain't like me an', man, I dunno how ta explain it... but I know ya gotta stay away from me for the time bein' , okay?" she peeked over her shoulder as she asked.

" Um... yeah... sure," he said as the bell rang. Todd flashed him a smile, then bolted from the scene as other kids poured out of the rooms and started to push past him. He blinked, looked around for the hall pass he'd stolen and found himself suddenly standing in front of Pietro and Fred.

" Hey, Lance. Wanna hit the arcade Friday?" Fred asked as Lance abandoned his search for the hall pass and started to walk with them. He shrugged, " Toad said he had plans already,"

" What's up with him lately? He's been actin' trippy," Pietro added, slicking back his hair, " He talks to you, doesn't he, Lance? What's going on?"

" Hormones,"

" You're sure talkative, aren't you?"

" Shut up, Quicksilver. Leave Toad alone," Lance snapped, punching him in the arm. He missed but got his point across, " Yeah, I'll go to the arcade with you guys. I've got nothing better to do. And I'm driving, so don't get any ideas, Pietro, got it? My car, I drive,"

" Control freak,"

" Shove it. Fred, did Toad say where sh-he was goin' Friday?"

" I think he's headin' over to that new Pawn shop. You know, cash in his stolen goods and all," he answered, rolling his eyes. Lance nodded, " What does he buy with all that cash?"

" Who knows," Lance muttered, fighting off the blush that came with the images of the bikini style panties Todd had hidden in his room; couldn't put panty liners and pads on boxers, he said, so he spent a lot of money on panties, " Who knows," he repeated, smiling at the private joke. Pietro and Fred exchanged a glance, shrugged, and said nothing about their teammates strange behavior.

* * *

For those of you who don't know, Lance is a senior in high school. Although the rest of the Brotherhood are the same age, Fred and Pietro are juniors, whereas Todd is still a sophomore. He was held back, obviously. And though the show has Kitty, a freshman, and Lance in the same science class, I prefer to stick to the school system as of today. That would be that separate grades normally only have electives together. Hence the health class.

And that class does exist. I took it last year. Boring, lemme tell you.

That's all. Love, Sai-Chan


	3. Chapter 3

Lance sipped his soda, walking around the crowded and loud arcade. He'd lost his friends in his mission to find a decent beverage, though he had stumbled upon a lost blue furry elf searching for his girlfriend. Other then that, however, he hadn't found anyone he knew in the place. Sighing, he knocked some guy out of his way and pushed his way over to the games. He spotted Fred's head above a bunch of people by the DDR machines where Pietro was showing off and making a poor wannabe cry as she lost round after round to the speed demon.

" Fuckin' cheater," he muttered, checking the messages on his cell phone. There was a new text message, but it was from Kitty, so he ignored it. The female he was hoping would text him wasn't Kitty, " Come on. I paged you half an hour ago, retard. Learn to check your phone,"

" HEY, LANCE!!! COME OVER HERE AND GIMME A CHALLENGE!!!" Pietro shouted, waving from the stand. Lance held up his cell and motioned to the door. He was waved off as the blond started to search the crowd for a victim. He snatched said furry blue elf out of the group and demanded that Kurt give him a couple minutes to destroy his rep.

Seeing that the two were distracted once more, Lance slipped out of the arcade and leaned against the wall, punching in a number. Drinking the rest of his soda, he listened to those rings. After a while, someone finally picked up.

" Yo, dis Toad," came a distracted voice on the other line. He breathed out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

" Hey there, Toadie. It's Lance. I've been calling all night. Where have you fuckin' been?" he snapped, sounding more concerned then he'd hoped. He cursed himself for sounding so pitiful.

" Man, itz cute that chu worried, but I'm fine. I'm just headin' home from da Pawn Shop. Got some serious coin," she informed him, before breaking off in an excited rambled about money and the like. Lance rolled his eyes, letting her talk, as he knew she was as greedy as she was cute. A minute later, she let out a laugh and apologized.

" It's okay. I don't mind,"

" Sos... what chu up to?"

" I'm standing outside the arcade," he answered, shrugging to no one, " I was playing video games but it bothered me that you weren't answerin', so I let myself out for a minute. The guys are playin' DDR,"

" Why don't chu join 'em? Yer decent,"

" Shut up. Just because you happen to be really good-"

" Sos you've watched me dance?" Todd sounded almost happy about that fact. Then she cleared her throat and repeated the question in a less interested voice. Lance smiled to himself and told her he had, once or twice, " Well, ain't that kinda stalkerish,"

" Don't tease,"

" Why not?"

" I dunno, actually," he didn't say anything more and neither did she. They were quiet for a long moment, " I ought to get going. Before one of them comes lookin' for me and all,"

" Yeah, man," she sounded a little disappointed and Lance couldn't say he wasn't pleased to hear that in her voice, " Yo, I'll see ya when ya get back,"

" Hurry home, okay, Toad? I don't want you to get hurt," he grew quiet for a second, " I know you said you used your boobs for a sweet deal, but tape them up before you go outside. I don't want anyone... seeing you or anything," he hardened his voice so she'd know he was serious.

" Yo, yous got it. I promise," she added, her voice serious as well, " See ya,"

" See you, Toadie," he said, clicking his phone off and heading back inside.

He hadn't gone two steps before Pietro appeared out of nowhere and a harsh wind slammed into him. Glaring, he fixed his hair and demanded to know that the speedster wanted.

" I need some more money," he said, snatching up Lance's wallet and taking out some ones, " Who're you callin' this late at night anyways? Kitty?"

" No. I wanted to find out where the fuck Toad was,"

" What the hell for?"

" He has a bad, real bad, habit of losing track of his surroundings when he's around money. I was... worried he'd get ambushed or somethin'. That'd just be embarrassin', you know?" he hurried to say, hoping the blond would buy his lie. For a moment, Pietro stared at him with questioning blue eyes, but then he broke into a grin just when Lance was sure he was about to bust him.

" Yeah, that's true. So," he started to count the money, " Where's the little sleeze anyways?"

" Should be home by now,"

" Well, call him back and tell him that if he sees some guy hangin' around to knock him out and call the cops," Pietro pocketed the money as the older boy gave him a look and took back his wallet, " Wanda complained that she saw this big guy standing by the side of the road the last few days. Like a stalker. Me and Fred couldn't get a load of him, but Toad's better at spyin' and whatever,"

" Guy? No one told me about any guy,"

" It's not like it concerned you. We didn't tell Tolansky either,"

" Is Wanda home right now?"

" Why so worried? My sister's capable of handling herself," Pietro gave a tiny cough, clearing his throat, " But for you information, he creeped her out so, no, she's not at home. She's out with a friend. Why? Do you like her or somethin'? Cause if you do I'm go-"

" I need to go. Now,"

With that, Lance jerked away and bolted from the arcade. Pietro called out to him, wanting to now where he was going. He didn't answer, he didn't even look back. He ripped his phone out and pressed redial as he fumbled around for his keys. Several rings deafened his ears as he jabbed the door with said key, wondering where the lock was. Finally, he got the door open and struggled to get inside as the phone clicked to Todd's voice mail. He cursed and swore, revving the Jeep to life, before spitting out a barkish command to call him back as soon as she got the message. Without looking behind him, Lance reversed out of the parking space, shifted gears, and floored it, going from zero to sixty in a second. The Jeep tore out of the lot, gaining speed.

Someone had been outside the Boarding House, stalking the Brotherhood. Someone who had scared Wanda, of all people. Scared her so bad that she'd chosen to go out then be left alone. Scared her enough that her self centered brother was worried about his sister to the point of asking a teammate to capture the man. If someone was able to do that to Wanda, they had to be someone dangerous.

And that someone might be waiting outside the Boarding House right then. Right when Todd came home, too distracted with her money to notice. Todd was a lot less threatening then Wanda, but with the same assets. She was a good fighter and could hold her own against a human. That didn't mean there wasn't a chance she could get hurt, if not worse, though. She was easy enough to pin down, once caught, and she had a striking weakness when hit in the stomach or base of the neck. Any man who could 'creep out' the Scarlet Witch would be strong enough to take out the Toad.

Lance pressed the pedal against the floor even harder, his hands gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. The arcade was fifteen minutes away from the Boarding House. He'd talked to Pietro for a couple minutes. By the time he got there, nearly twenty minutes would've elapsed. There was no way Todd wouldn't have gotten home by then. Somewhere in those twenty minutes, she would run into that man if he was lurking around. She could get hurt if she didn't make it into the house.

" Answer your phone, dammit," he mumbled, calling the number for the seventh time as he drew closer and closer to the house. Every call ended with a semi serious, semi cheerfully distracted 'Yo, dis is Toad er Todd, I can't come to the phone right now sos ya know what to do' followed by a beep.

Suddenly, just as he was saying to call him back, the sign for the Boarding House came into view of his headlights. He pulled into the driveway and slammed on the brakes before putting the car in park and leaving it, forgetting to turn the engine off. He broke into a run, shouting for Todd, as he kicked the front door open. Every single light was off. Lance looked around, then ran up the stairs, yelling for her to answer him. He threw open her bedroom door and turned on the lights, praying he'd find her sitting up and mumbling something about the brightness as she shielded her eyes.

The bed was empty.

" No, God no," he moaned, twirling around and knocking the bathroom door open. He hoped that he'd get a loud squeal of 'shut the damn door', but the room was devoid of life, " No, no, no, no,"

He ran to his bedroom and said a prayer that against all odds, she was inside. Upon opening the door, however, he found his room empty. There were no signs that she'd ever been in there, in the house. In desperation, he checked every other room in the house but soon found himself standing in the kitchen in a completely empty house. The Boarding House hadn't seen the life of a human aside from him since Wanda left, whenever that had been.

Taking out his cell phone and punching in the numbers for Pietro's, Lance left the house, searching for any clue as to where Todd had been last. The blond answered on the fifth ring and Lance muttered something incoherent about getting home, getting a ride from Kurt, as soon as possible. Without another word, he hung up and spun around, wishing that he'd see Todd's outline strolling up the street and hear her shout something about being caught up doing something normal. When he didn't, he pushed the speed dial to her number and began to walk towards his humming car.

That's when he saw it, illuminated by his car head lights. The shape of someone skinny, sprawled out by the woods. He only knew one person that thin.

" TODD!!!" he shouted as the phone began to ring. A cute melody drifted over hauntingly from the area he was running to until he clicked his phone off, " TODD!!! ARE YOU OKAY!!!" his voice cut.

Todd lay on the ground, sobbing hysterically and shaking violently. There were dark bruises on her face, cuts from rings on her left cheek. A red mark wrapped it's way around her neck and on her wrists above her cuffs. Her shirt was torn open, as where the bandages that used to hold her breasts down. There were purple marks along her chest and waist, running down to where her jeans were ripped open and torn all the way down to her knees.

Blood ran down her legs, coming from between them.

There was no doubt in his mind what had happened as Lance began to scream in horror and fell to his knees next to the trembling body of the whimpering girl whose hands were slowly moving to feel where the blood was. Her hands came back sticky red as he shook his head and dug his fingers into the ground, trying not to cry for her sake. Her shrieks began to fill the air as she stared at her bloody hands, as though the blood made it all real. It didn't seem possible, but it was true, all so viciously true.

Todd Tolansky had been raped.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- I apologize for the wait. This is for any remaining readers. Thank you for dealing with the wait and appreciating that my life had to come before fanfiction.

If you're interested, I have a new poll about a summer M rated oneshot to be done about a random pairing I've never done before. Thanks.

Enjoy.

* * *

The weight of Todd's body in Lance's arms was unfathomable. He had never held such a light creature that felt like the weight of the world before. His hands gripped that gently curved waist with all his might, yet he was always so careful. He had no idea how he managed to do either, for he hadn't stopped shaking since he had seen his almost lover sobbing in the dirt outside the Boarding House. Now, he laid the toad out on the ratty couch and stood there in what he could only describe as shock. Lance's entire body was numb. He wanted to scream, to go hunting for the monster responsible for those tears. He couldn't bring himself to leave, though. He heard those muffled sobs, heard that choked slang, and he couldn't even step forward. His hand reached out an inch, maybe a little more, but hovered over that quivering form. He couldn't close the distance, although he was sure he would never know why.

His lack of touch went unnoticed. Todd had her bloodied face buried in her shaking hands, fat drops of reddish tears dripping into her lap. Her body was roughly covered in the tattered remains of her clothes. Blood stained the majority of it. She didn't seem to see it. Her gold eyes were wide beyond belief, but they didn't appear to see anything. Lance had never seen Todd look so utterly horrified. There was a fear there so real, he could almost taste it's bitter bite on the back of his own throat. Her head shook once, then, nearly too fast to be seen. The tears grew harder as she collapsed forward, bending as only she could. Her sobs were strangled, the cries of an injured animal. A shiver jolted from Lance's tense shoulders to his knees, rendering him lifeless.

A word filled the air in the next second. A simple 'no', screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice broke into fitful sobs that couldn't be louder if she had started shrieking again. Her hands slammed into the cushions in fury, her body jerking from side to side. Lance moved to touch her, to hold her, to protect her. His hand was smacked away as her hand flew to the side. She gave him a look that was more desperate then angry. His legs trembled in his effort not to break down right alongside her. Seeing that expression on his Todd's face, though, and all of Lance's strength vanished. He grabbed her as hard as he could and buried her face in his shoulder. She screamed into his neck, her mouth wide open and burning hot against his flesh. He just held her with everything he could, his body sending tremors into the ground in violent shocks. There was nothing Lance could do to change it. He could only hold her and hope that was enough now. He didn't know if it was. He felt the terror in the way her body quaked from the trauma. His hands held fast when Todd tried to pull back. He wasn't sure what she needed, to be honest. He just didn't want to let go right then.

Footsteps walked unsurely into the living room. Lance's head rose only a fraction of an inch. He saw a flash of silver before Pietro was kneeling down next to him. There was a mixture of confusion and fear on his usually blank slate of a pretty face. His blue eyes were wide as they took in the way Todd was sobbing into Lance's arms. Blood splattered on the floor in slow motion from the healing wounds left on that fragile body. The red puddle made the speedster draw back as a foreign voice whispered a question that was unneeded. Lingering in the doorway was Kurt, his eyes searching the room for an answer he didn't have to look for. Just beyond him was Freddy, his eyes distant. The three stared at Lance for an explanation he didn't know how to say. His mouth moved, but his voice choked on the actual words. He just lowered his eyes and tightened his grip on the openly hysterical female in his arms.

The explanation came much later. Before that, words were whispered and motions were made. Kurt suggested calling the police. Pietro wanted to go searching for the guilty man and slit him from ear to ear. Freddy just covered his face and shook his head, unable to see his 'little brother' hugging herself in such a violated way. Todd, she just stared at the red floor with eyes that bordered on blind. She didn't see nor hear anything that they said or did. Her body trembled terribly as Lance stroked her messy hair with slow, tender strokes of his spread fingers. Tears continued to roll down her face as Quicksilver screamed in several languages his fury. His fists flew all over the place as he went stark crazy as he could. Kurt again pointed to the Institute, pleading with the deaf toad to go see at least McCoy about her various injuries. Freddy begged God for an answer to the one question they should never ask; why Todd. Lance remained silent. He didn't know where his voice had gone. He just felt his throat tightening up, slick and dry at the same time. He wanted to take control of the situation, to be strong for his lover, but he couldn't. His mind was a flurry of everything and nothing. All he could do, then, was pet his darling's hair as the other three swung back and forth from one extreme to the next.

Without words, though, there was a flash of movement from all of them. Todd stumbled to her feet, into Lance's arms, and whispered in the tiniest voice that she felt sick. The others helped him steady her. All bodies moved to the door rather then the stairs. She didn't stop them. She just stared at the ground as her fingers dug into Lance's arm. Before the door could be opened, however, she gave a small squeak. She shook her head and rushed into Lance's embrace, turning her entire body into his. Kurt touched her shoulder cautiously as Pietro and Freddy grabbed hold of his other hand. In a simple puff of smoke, they left that dark place behind. The next second, they were standing in the brightly lit foyer of the Institute. Kurt broke ranks, yelling for the professor and McCoy. The Brotherhood stood still, as if none of them could actually figure out where they were. Lance's head swam in a fog that seemed to effect them all. A couple glances were stolen before Kurt grabbed Lance's arm and the group vanished again. When they appeared again, they were in the metallic underbelly of the X-Men's headquarters. Voices bloomed over their heads as Xavier and the Beast rounded the corner, concern and sorrow written in the lines of their faces. Lance held fast, suddenly terrified of letting the toad go. She didn't move. She didn't cry. She merely swallowed as her eyes alone watched McCoy reach out for her hand. There was no respond that said she even saw him. Pietro asked her kindly once, before he demanded that she go with the blue man. Freddy swore at him for daring to raise his voice to their fragile companion.

With a sweep of hand, though, Todd reached out and laid her blood stained fingers in Beast's outstretched palm. Her entire body quivered as she hesitantly slipped away from her lover. Lance felt his arms dropping to his sides. There was a panic brewing deep within him. He knew she was safe now, but he didn't think she could be safer without him. Todd appeared to think the same thing. Her mouth formed his name even when no sound left it. She gave him one last tearful look over her shoulder as she was taken down the hall for her medical exam.

As soon as Todd was gone, the explanation just poured out of Lance's mouth. He pressed his hand to his forehead as he confessed to Xavier what he knew about Todd's transformation. He told him about the change, about their blossoming relationship, about what Todd had been doing that night, and what Quicksilver had told him about the man he believed had done this. Lance didn't care who was standing there. He wasn't keeping any secrets that could help the professor. He just said it all before he slipped to the ground. Pietro caught him on the way down, steadying him until he was sitting there. The speedster was then on his feet, shuffling over to Freddy. No one said anything at all, but the silence was deafening. Lance just stayed there, shock making his muscles spasm hard against his restraint not to scream. A tremor ran down his spine and into the ground, shaking the room violently. Xavier said something that was supposed to be comforting. The rock tumbler could only shake his head. He felt heat rising to the surface as someone rubbed his back and tried to tell him that they would find the guy who'd done this heinous crime. He shook his head even harder when the first tears began to make their painful way down his face.

" No. . . you don't understand. . ." Lance choked out, rubbing the tears roughly from his face with the back of his hand. A vicious earthquake smashed into the ground as he slammed his fists into the ground, " She'll never get over this. . . I let this happen to her. . . I should've been there. . . and I wasn't. . . it's my fault. ."

" No, Lance, you can-"

" Stop it! I don't want to hear it! You don't understand! L-look at what he _did_ to her! Toad's never gonna get over this! Look at what I did to her!" he shouted, his knuckles colliding with the ground with tremendous force. The walls shuttered as the ground shifted. Fury rushed up through his blood, bending his body as he tried to fight it. His powers licked over his body, tensing his arms and legs in pulses that radiated through the floor in small quakes. Lance felt his control slipping, but all he could do was cry out a word that meant nothing and said nothing.

Just before the earthquake escaped, a pale hand touched his neck. Lance felt his eyes rolling backwards as a flash of Rogue soared into his vision. The world then went black as he dropped to the side without another word. Faces danced in his mind as everything went still and silent and cold. The last thing that went through his head was the lingering echoes of Todd's desperate sobs. Somehow he knew he'd hear them every time he closed his eyes.

* * *

I'll try and make the next chapter longer. Sorry if it wasn't up to par. I did my best.


	5. Chapter 5

Perhaps the strangest thing about waking up in the underground medical wing was the sensation that the world was gone. Lance slowly blinked, squinting up at the incredibly bright lights. His head swam with a million images that didn't make sense right away. His body felt heavy, as if someone was pulling it down. Again, he couldn't figure out why. Then, slowly, reality returned. He saw Todd's body laying out on the ground, her limbs bloodied and bruised. He heard her frantic, hysterical screaming. He knew what had happened. As quickly as the thought dawned on him, Lance jerked himself up. Faster then he could, though, a hand was at his chest, stopping him from daring to rise. A wave of dizziness made his vision double, his head turning to see blue eyes in a pale face with loose, messy blonde hair. He didn't recognize him at first. Slowly, though, he figured that out too. He'd never seen Pietro with his hair undone before.

" Don't get up, Lance. Rogue did a number on you," he warned, easing Lance back down onto the semi soft bed. Lance wanted to protest, but he didn't get a chance. As was his specialty, Quicksilver cut him off, " I don't wanna hear it. She had to basically wipe out your power to get them under control. You nearly lost it. Nearly took out the whole place, I'm sure. When she was done with you, bam. You were out. You've been like that for, like, two days,"

" Two days?!" Lance shouted, attempting to sit up. Pietro was on his feet, both hands on his shoulders, before the attempt could even begin. For once, the rock tumbler thought the X-Men had placed the right mutant in the right position. If anyone could keep him from escaping, it was Quicksilver.

" Yes, two days, alright? Chill,"

" Chill?! Chill?! How the hell am I 'pposed to chill, Pietro?! Toad was raped, if you'll remember!" he screamed, the ground shaking less then he'd hoped. Those blue eyes flashed violently as the speedster took a seat. His legs crossed elegantly as he smoothed his hair back in vain, " Where is she? What happened? Is she okay? Talk to me, dammit!"

" I'm trying to, Lance,"

" TRY HARDER!!!" Lance felt the floor move as he yelled it. The sound of his voice echoed in the room as his teammate blinked nonchalantly. Gasping, then, Lance glared at that unmoved Maximoft. He should have known better then to try a scare tactic on a boy who'd grown up in Magneto's household. He swallowed dryly. He didn't apologize. He just shut up. That appeared to be what Pietro was waiting for.

" Toad's been with McCoy these last few days. He doesn't want to call the police or talk to anyone about what happened. He says he just wants it all to disappear. Everyone's been tryin' to get him to change his mind. He's just scared. He thinks the asshole who did this is gonna come back," he explained, his voice shifting from sorrow to disgust with only the slightest dip in tone. Lance felt his body tensing as his heart ached. He could only imagine how frightened his almost lover was at that moment. Before he could try for the door, however, Pietro continued talking, " He hasn't changed back into a boy,"

Time seemed to freeze as those words hung in the air. Lance's eyes widened as he stared at the unnaturally calm face of his companion. Pietro's eyes peered down at him in a way they never had before. There was concern floating along the harsh icy color that made him the smug creature he truly was. For a moment, Lance couldn't tell who the concern was directed towards. He'd never been gifted at reading others. As Quicksilver was a genius at faking, he wasn't sure he was reading it correctly when he finally figured it out. Yet, it began to dawn on him conclusively that Pietro was worried about Todd. He had never been close to the toad, so the rock tumbler had wondered if the concern for him. The more he looked, though, the more he was sure of it. Thus, he swallowed his bubbling fear, and tried to sit up again. Two hands grabbed his shoulders, but he didn't push them away. This time, Lance gripped those wrists.

" What is it?" he whispered, knowing full well that Pietro was keeping something from him. A flicker of fear washed over the speedster's face. He tried not to answer, but Lance's grip only tightened on those wrists. He felt a tremor rush down that slender body, saw the way that face moved away, " What?!"

" Xavier says he might never change back,"

The weight of those words pressed down on Lance like the weight of the world. His heart stopped, his hands freezing in midair when Pietro jerked out of his grip. Nothing appeared to be working correctly as Lance's mind went utterly blank. He wanted to scream, to yell, because he should've been there to protect her. He wanted to hit Pietro if only because he was still there. He wanted to close his eyes and wish it all away. He couldn't do anything. His hands cautiously lowered to his bed sheets as he just stared straight ahead. He didn't see Quicksilver, although that's who he was looking at. He saw Todd smiling and happily telling him that he would be back to normal in a couple days. Somehow, that memory seemed like another world entirely. Every sense of time was stretched out, disconnected from that reality and the horror show Lance was sitting in. His throat closed over, preventing air from leaving or going. He struggled to gasp, to say anything, yet all he managed to do was shake his head. There were tears rushing to the surface, but he couldn't do anything. A strange heat was taking over his body. He felt sick in ways he never had before. All the while, Lance didn't know what was more terrifying about the news. The fact that Todd would never be normal or that Todd had to hear it without him there to hold her.

Silence overtook the room then. Lance's body began to shake as lowered his gaze to the crisp, white sheets that were draped over his legs. Pietro reached forward, but his hand never touched the rock tumbler. His teammate stopped short, his blue eyes glancing away while he bit down on his lower lip. Hesitantly, he withdrew the comforting touch of friendship and merely gripped his hands in his lap. Lance didn't say anything. He just swallowed as deeply as he could before pressing a hand to his forehead where a headache was swimming out over his temples. Liquid heat dripped down his cheeks in a stream that burned his flesh. There was no point in wiping the tears away, so he didn't bother. There wasn't a sound as he broke down in gut wrenching sobs. The speedster sat there like stone, watching as his leader cried for the woman he had wanted but never had. Lance knew he should've asked Quicksilver to leave, as this was a private moment of grief, but he didn't. He just covered his face with both hands as the gravity of the situation crushed him slowly, but surely.

For all the trauma, Todd could remain female for the rest of her life. She would have a permanent, inescapable reminder of the night she was raped. She would never be able to return to normal, to be herself again. Years of dedication to hiding who and what she was would be for naught. Lance didn't know if he could live with that himself. Todd had seemed so sure when she had said she would change back, so happy that the change wasn't permanent. Now, when she probably wanted more then anything to be male, she was told she might never be herself again. All due to the single most devastating thing to happen to her in her young seventeen years of life. The heartbreak was enough to kill Lance as he desperately tried to gather his senses.

As time dripped by, he finally did. The tears came to a stop as his strength trickled down his aching body. Wiping his face, Lance turned to look at his second in command. Pietro was watching him uncertainly, his eyes somber and hurt. Lance noticed faintly that, for the first time in well over a year, Quicksilver didn't look like himself. His hair was messy, falling into his face in a strong reminder of Wanda on her first day at the Boarding House. Dark circles were under his eyes, his clothes dirty, as though he hadn't changed in a couple days. Lance glanced away as he realized just how massive this was on everyone. He wanted to say something to the blond, but he couldn't. All he could do was rub away any remaining tears as he looked away. The glass walls of the hospital room reflected everything he was trying not to look at, so the effect was lost. Carefully, he removed the sheets. No hands grabbed him, but he did hear the chair cutting across the metal floor. This time, Lance got out of bed as Pietro drifted over to his side to help him down. The floor was as cold as ice water on the rock tumbler's feet, but he ignored it. Instead, he motioned for the speedster to lead the way.

Their footsteps were quiet in the empty hallways of the under belly of the X-Men's home. It took a moment for Lance to realize that Pietro was barefoot too. He glanced back to the room to see those sneakers laying at the doorway they had just left. He knew it was unlike Quicksilver to go without shoes, but he didn't mention it. Things were going from strange to worse with every second. Somehow, though, he found himself anticipating his arrival at Todd's room. He knew that if Pietro was this far from normal, things would be hellish seeing the toad. Yet, he found himself not dreading it. Rather, he desired to be there, to see the changes, to make notes so he could change with her. He wanted to help her, but he needed to know what help she needed. He instinctively knew it was different now, in the light of day, then what she had wanted in the night. He wasn't sure if that made sense to anyone but him, but that was how Lance felt. He knew he was slowly descending into shock and this calm feeling was only a bad sign. Still, he let himself slip as Pietro pushed open a door to a closed off room that had curtains drawn every which way.

The room was darker then Lance thought it was going to be. The lights weren't off, but the entire place was cast in shadows that appeared to crawl off the walls and into the air. Silence, steady and heavy, washed over the two mutants. The rock tumbler felt his body going stiff as the speedster drifted past him. A trickle of fear interrupted Lance's calm unsettling, but it was quickly replaced with longing. He moved forward as Pietro drew back a single curtain. He whispered something too low for the other to make out. Then he just motioned for Lance to approach. He stepped over like a moth drawn to a flame. Slowly, hesitating for a reason he couldn't figure out, he looked through the small gap in those shades.

Sitting on the bed was Todd. Her legs were pulled up to her body, her pale arms draped around them as if that would somehow shield her from the past. Bruises littered her once flawless skin, dancing over her flesh as cold and harsh reminders of why the two of them were dressed in hospital garb. Her gold eyes flickered to red instinctively before fading back to their nearly lifeless color. She didn't smile and she didn't greet him. Todd blankly gazed at Lance as though there were millions and millions of feet between them and she couldn't get a clear look at him. The look itself was disarming in ways he hadn't expected. The blow of it all was enough to make him shiver in a cold he wasn't sure he even felt subconsciously. Then she blinked and her head turned a fraction of an inch. Lance wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew she wanted him to come closer. He made his way over to the bed as the curtains fluttered shut.

Somewhere between the curtains and the bed, Lance realized that he had entered in an entirely different world. Just as he stopped, though, there was a small clink. Pietro was gone and the door was shut. Lance was alone with Todd. All he could do was drop down onto the bed and hug her shivering body close to his. She didn't respond. She merely squeezed her wide eyes shut as he gripped her messy hair in one hand and her slender back in the other. Her body crumpled into his lap without warning as soon as he had his grip on her. Todd pressed her face to his chest, her webbed fingers digging into his skin hard enough to draw blood. Her back bent in ways only hers could as she fought back the tears he knew she had been sobbing since he had carried her into the Boarding House. He whispered that he was there now and pleaded with her to cry, that it was for the best. She didn't answer him as he petted her hair and held her as firmly as he could. Time seemed to melt away as he held her. Like a bullet, though, it was shattered as Todd drew away in slow motion, her mouth forming words Lance could never have fathomed.

" I know who raped me,"


End file.
